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City agrees to $48,000 slip-and-fall settlement

A woman who was injured when she fell on a city sidewalk was recently awarded a $48,000 settlement. The woman sued the California city after her fall two years ago. In order to prevail in a slip\-and\-fall lawsuit, the person must be able to show that the accident occurred due to the property owner's negligence.

According to her claim, the woman was leaving a doctor's office in the March 2015 when she tripped. The cause of her fall was said to be a flaw in the sidewalk. One square of concrete was as much as two inches higher than the adjacent square. Evidence shows that the city had as many as 3000 sidewalks which were in need of repair at the time of the woman's fall.

Her shoulder was dislocated in the accident, and she later had to have surgery to repair it. Although the city attorney tried at first to place blame for the fall on the victim, the evidence did not support this. The argument was that she could not see well because she was using eye drops. She had just left the eye doctor's office, however, and had records from there showing that she could see well at the time of the accident.

The Santa Monica city council voted unanimously to approve the settlement. Anyone who has been injured due to the negligence of a property owner can seek reimbursement for their medical bills, time lost from work and other financial losses. Consulting with a California personal injury lawyer can help the victim understand his or her rights and how to begin the process of a lawsuit.